Free Printable Thanksgiving Planner – 10 Pages for A Stress-Free Holiday

Thanksgiving is amazing, but hosting it? That’s a challenge! But trust me, with a little planning, you can totally rock this holiday. My free printable Thanksgiving planner is here to help with 10 pages of goodness, from grocery lists to timelines, to keep you organized and stress-free.

Thanksgiving used to feel like a marathon. Endless tasks, the pressure of making everything perfect (which I now know, doesn’t exist), and a whole lot of cooking!

Honestly, it used to be so overwhelming that I almost considered eloping with a pumpkin pie to a deserted island. But thankfully, I discovered a better way to handle the holiday madness.

This Thanksgiving planner results from years of trial and error (and maybe a few burnt turkeys along the way!). It’s a free download so your holidays can be as relaxing as mine!

📝 What’s Included

This free printable Thanksgiving planner includes:

• Cover Page
• Menu Plan
• Shopping List
• Blank Timeline
• Cooking Schedule
• Guest List
• Baking List
• Leftover Recipes
• November Calendar
• Turkey Cooking Guide
• Servings Guide

These sheets are packed in a single free-to-download PDF and designed to print on U.S. Letter paper (8.5×11″).

🍽️ Menu Plan

Every great Thanksgiving starts with a delicious plan! This sheet helps you map out your Thanksgiving feast, with dedicated sections for the main course, appetizers, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Now is the time to give your favorite family recipes the spotlight they deserve. We all have some dishes that we’re famous for, right?

Another solution is to plan a potluck-style feast where other guests bring dishes too. In that case, download and print my free printable Friendsgiving Menu Plan.

🛒 Shopping List

Once you’ve finalized your Thanksgiving menu, it’s time to create a shopping list! This handy list is organized by category to make your grocery runs a breeze. You’ll find separate sections for: produce, meat/deli, frozen, dry/canned goods, baking/spices, and drinks/others.

Trust me, there’s nothing worse than realizing you forgot the whipped cream when you’re already in your pajamas. (Not that I’ve ever done that… 😉)

🕒 Timeline

Hosting Thanksgiving will have you checking off many tasks. But who needs a long, messy to-do list when you can have this blank timeline sheet?

It lets you customize your planning process with sections for 2-3 weeks before, 1 week before, and 1-2 days before the big day.

Plus, there’s a handy notes section to jot down any reminders or last-minute brainstorms. Because let’s be honest, sometimes the best ideas come to us while we’re elbow-deep in pumpkin pie filling!

👨‍🍳 Cooking Schedule

Timing is everything when you’re juggling a dozen dishes at once. This cooking schedule helps you coordinate your Thanksgiving Day cooking like a pro (even if you’re more of a “toss-it-in-the-oven-and-hope-for-the-best” kind of cook!).

I organized it in 30-minute increments, so you can keep track of everything from the turkey’s grand entrance to those last-minute gravy tweaks. Whether you’re an early riser or you like to do your cooking in the afternoon/evening, this sheet will come in handy.

Plug in your recipes, spend some time analyzing how long each will take to prepare and cook, and start filling in the time slots. 

For instance: If dinner is planned for 4 P.M. and my cranberry sauce takes two hours to assemble and cook, I would schedule the cranberry sauce in the 2 P.M. slot on the worksheet. 

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Guest List

Keeping track of your Thanksgiving crew is more than just knowing who to expect; it’s the cornerstone of a well-planned feast! Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to perfectly portioned dishes.

This handy guest list not only helps you track RSVPs and contact information but also plays a crucial role in calculating the right amount of food (keep reading, a Servings Guide is included in the planner as well). After all, nobody wants a mountain of leftovers.

🥧 Baking List

Calling all bakers! The baking list is your Thanksgiving baking command center and it’s the perfect pair to the menu planner sheet.

Easily keep track of your recipes, ingredients, and baking times. And remember, it’s perfectly acceptable to sample the cookie dough… for quality control purposes, of course!

Tip: Don’t leave the baking for the last days before the holiday! I have some recipes that are baked and then store really well in the freezer.  I plan those out for baking earlier in the month and write them down on the November Calendar sheet. This gives a full view of the month and helps you plan well in advance. 

🍱 Leftover Recipes

Repurposing leftovers is such a great way to avoid food waste, and of course, save money.

This sheet helps you plan creative ways to use up your Thanksgiving bounty. Turkey pot pie, cranberry sauce muffins, stuffing-stuffed mushrooms… the possibilities are endless!

📅 November Calendar

November is a busy month, and with Thanksgiving preparations in full swing, it’s easy to let things slip through the cracks. This handy November calendar is here to keep you organized and on track.

Mark down all your important appointments, social gatherings, and of course, those critical Thanksgiving deadlines.

When should you start thawing the turkey? When is the last day to order your pumpkin pie? When do you need to pick up Aunt Sally from the airport? This calendar has you covered!

🍗 Turkey Cooking Guide

Cooking the perfect turkey can be intimidating, but fear not! This guide takes the guesswork out of turkey time with a handy cooking chart.

You have approximate cooking times for both stuffed and unstuffed turkey + cooking times for turkey breast, if you’re hosting a smaller Thanksgiving gathering.

And if you need more info on how to nail that roasted turkey every single time, grab my free printable Turkey Cooking Cheat Sheet and give my turkey thawing guide a quick read too.

Planning the turkey thawing is super important. You know what they say: roasting a turkey is a breeze unless it’s frozen solid!

Tip: A whole bird only makes sense if you have a larger crowd. For a small get-together of up to 6 people you can get away by cooking turkey parts. Check out my air fryer turkey breast, and air fryer turkey legs. These recipes are perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner!

🍴 Servings Guide

Not sure how much food to make for your Thanksgiving crowd? This guide helps you estimate the right amount of each dish. All the main categories are included: appetizers, mains, sides, drinks, and desserts.

And, of course, the turkey is in there too, because it’s so easy to buy one that’s too large and no one wants to eat turkey sandwiches for a week!

🖨️ Grab It Now

There you have it, my friends! Thanksgiving planning is all set and ready for you! Simply enter your email and I will send it to you right away. 

After saving, open the PDF using the free Adobe Reader, or your favorite PDF reader app. To print on U.S. Letter paper, leave the Scale set to 100% or “Actual Size”. Enjoy!

Tip: Slide these sheets into a three-ring binder and work from that to keep everything organized. It helps me see what went well and what didn’t, plus it’s an instant scrapbook.

Let me know how it worked for you and if there were pages you wish we covered in it. We are always open to adapting and adding more when readers need it. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂